Master of Arts in Counselor Education - School Counseling

University of Central Florida

The CACREP Accredited School Counseling track in the Counselor Education Master’s of Arts program is designed for the student planning to seek certification as a professional school counselor in pre-K through postsecondary school settings. This track (as opposed to the Counselor Education Master’s of Education School Counseling track) is designed for students who have a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than education. As part of the program's pragmatic approach to preparing professional counselors, in addition to classroom studies, students in the School Counseling MA track complete their first clinical experience (practicum) in either a public school or in the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center. School Counseling track students then complete their internship/clinical experiences in a K-12 school setting, earning 600 total hours, 240 of which must be direct service hours. The UCF Community Counseling and Research Center serves as a hub for training and research in the Counselor Education program, with graduate students providing counseling services to children, adolescents, and adults through the provision of individual, couples, and family therapy. The Master’s of Arts in Counselor Education-School Counseling track is a state-approved initial teacher/educator preparation program that is subject to any change in the Florida Administrative Code (State Board of Education Rule 6A-5.066). Students enrolled in the Counselor Education-School Counseling track should remain in close contact with their assigned faculty advisor to keep informed of any programmatic changes implemented to comply with new state requirements. The CACREP Accredited School Counseling track in the Counselor Education Master’s of Arts (MA) program prepares students for certification as a professional school counselor. As such, students must be formally admitted to the program to take any program area courses. The program requires a minimum of 60 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, including 6 credit hours of core courses, 30 credit hours of specialization, 9 credit hours of DOE required certification courses, 9 credit hours of professional clinical experiences, and 6 credit hours of electives. Total Credit Hours Required: 60 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree.